TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Tom - I think you have mis-paraphrased my original post - I'm currently in
Client Services (which is separate from Marketing) and think I should be in
Research and Development (which is separate from IT). The R&D manager seems
to agree with us that we should be in his department. The move has been
raised and at least my manager in Client Services and the President of the
company didn't seem to like the idea.
The SMEs are very helpful when we search out information. A couple of them
are trained and remember to pass information on. The rest of them don't
think of us, and I believe it is because we are not visible. We are not on
the R&D e-mail distribution list so they have to consciously think to send
information on to us, which doesn't seem to happen all that often.
Your thoughts on the business case are fine except that I think it's more
someone not wanting to let go of us rather than someone not wanting to take
us on. I believe it's all to do with the perception that the books we put
out are services to the client. The director of R&D sees it the same way as
we do, the others see it as a service. I do believe it's all politics, and
in such a small company I find this sad and disturbing but not bad enough to
look elsewhere. I was just interested to hear whether there was an ideal
place for us or whether we should just be happy with where we are and get
used to hunting down who and what we need.
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com